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CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 




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REV. MR. ANDREWS' 



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THE SURE AND ONLY FOUNDATION, 

WITH HISTORICAL NOTICES. 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE, 



DELIVERED BEFORE 



THE CHURCH OF CHRIST 



ASD 



SECOND PARISH, 



IN 



i'KRELL, MASS., JANUARY 29, 184 






BY DAVID ANDREWS, 

PASTOR OF THE C II L' 11 C II 



BO - I ON: 
WELL-SPRING PRESS, v. .1. WRIGHT, PRINTER, 

18 4 7. 






*<#•* 



Reverend and Dear Sir, 

In accordance with the vote, passed this day by the church, before 
which your late Centennial Discourse was delivered, and as its chosen organ, 
we have the honor to request of you a copy for the press. 

Yours respectfully, 

HENRY JEWETT, 



N. CUTTER, 
DAVID BLOOD. 



Pepperell. February 4, 1847. 



Deacons Jewett, Cutter and Blood, 
Committee of the Church. 

Dear Sirs, — In deference to the judgment of the church, which it is my 
privilege to serve in the gospel, I consent to the publication of the Discourse, 
delivered at the late Centennial, with the same desire, that led to its prepara- 
tion, — that the Divine Head and sure support of the church may be honored, 
and the faith and hopes of his people in Him confirmed. With permission, an 
appendix will be added ; also an extract from Rev. Mr. Emerson's sermon on 
the death of Whitefield, showing implicitly his own faith, and some further 
testimony in relation to Rev. Mr. Bullard's faith. Otherwise, the discourse 
shall be given to the public as it was delivered, dedicated to the cause of truth, 
especially among the youth of the congregation, with the prayer, that they 
may gratefully and cordially receive the faith of their earlier, as well as later 
ancestors, and like them, live to glorify their God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

Truly and obediently yours, 

D. ANDREWS. . 

Pepperell, February 5, 1847. 



DISCOURSE 



a m are built upon the foundation of the apostles and 

prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner- 

rs, IN whom all the building fitly framed together 

GROWETH UNTO AN HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD J IN WHOM YE 
BUILDED TOGETHER FOR AN HABITATION OF GoD THROUGH 

ths Spirit. Eph. 2: 20—22. 

celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of " The 
church of Christ " in this place. * Though it may not have 
attained to more than half the a^e of some of its elder sisters 
in the land, it may have equalled the eldest of them in the 
debt of gratitude, contracted to the common Head of all. His 
aid has been richly granted through every period of its 
histo /tu 

fitting on such a sta/d point, as we have now attained, 
to review 

rowing labora of the lengthened way ;" 

to recount the dealings of Heaven with those worthies, who 
brought up the ark of God among the early settlers of this 
town, and with its successive defenders until the present time \ 
and to att( mpt to re-produce the fading unpressiona of the Di- 
vine ( taodn< 



♦ See note* A and B, ftppirtlj 



4 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

In studying the history of the Christian church, we do well 
to look at the nature of its foundation, and the principal ele- 
ments of its perpetuity. This has led to the choice of our text. 
Here we have the true basis, the great builders, and the glori- 
ous structure " fitly framed together, until it groweth unto an 
holy temple in the Lord." In the sacred writings we are 
struck with the frequent recurrence of figures in relation to the 
church, drawn from architecture. The church is a building, 
— a temple with its deep, strong foundations, its elect corner- 
stone, its symmetrical and polished superstructure, its pillars 
and its top-stone. The Scriptures were written in architect- 
ural ages. Then those vast and imposing edifices, whose 
ruins even are now the admiration of the scholar and the 
antiquary, stood erect, and by their grandeur overpowered 
the beholder. No work of art made so deep an impression 
upon the Jewish mind, as the temple of Solomon, which is 
said to have glowed under the bright sunbeams, as though 
divinely transfigured. Where the apostles went "for the 
word of God and the testimony of Jesus," no objects of sense 
were so impressive, as those mighty masses of stone and mar- 
ble, whose symmetry, sublimity and beauty proclaimed the 
praises of genius and the honors of fanciful divinities. 

The human mind, whether composing under the influence 
of Inspiration, or unaided genius, naturally weaves into its 
work those vivid impressions, which it has received from ob- 
jects that have deeply interested and moved it. Hence the 
source of those beautiful and expressive figures of which our 
text is an instance. Paul, in reminding the Ephesian converts, 
of their new relations and privileges in connection with so well 
founded and stable an institution as the Christian church, nat- 
urally represented this divine structure under the figure of a 
magnificent edifice. It would be forcible and impressive. 
Ephesus was noted for its splendid specimens of architecture. 
The far-famed temple of Diana was there. 

The apostle declares to these converts a very interesting 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. O 

transition. Xo longer aliens, but fellow-citizens with all the 
sanctified, they had been admitted into that society, where all 
the originally discordant materials are blended into one har- 
monious whole. To change the figure, they had become 
polished stones in God's spiritual temple — the church, founded 
by prophot^ and apostles, whose chief corner-stone was Je 
Christ. Tpon this foundation this structure was then rising, 
and is still in great majesty, splendor and beauty of proportion, 
r an habitation of God through the Spirit." He formerly 
't and manifested himself in a material temple, now in a 
spiritual — his church, where all its parts feel his presence and 
share its glory. 

( >ur text states the true and only basis of the Christian 
church. If it has a divine foundation, here it is certainly 
revealed. It is now proposed to consider this foundation ; — 
the needful evidences, that any body of men, claiming to he a 
church, are upon this basis : — then to append historical notices 
of the church of ( brist in this place, in which we trust it will 
be seen, that this church was originally placed, and has con- 
tinual to rest upon this foundation. 

is consider the foundation. What is it . ? Our text calls 

it, " the foundation of apostles and prophets." The idea doc< 

i to be, that these distinguished instruments formed an 

integrant part of the basis upon which the church rots, as 

shrunk from such an assump- 

t. In this declaration of one, all would concur;- "Other 

ii no man lay. than thai is laid, which Is Jesus 

Christ" They never attempt to interpose themselves. If the 

k.' 1 npon which Christ would build, was really Peter, he 

could mean nothing more, than the priority and ei 

instrumental In first gloriously develop- 
ihe Christian church. Peter himself presents Christ 
t. precious corn " upon which believi 

ritual 1: 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

glory to a mortal, nor lay, beneath his own everlasting struct- 
ure, so weak and perishable a support. If so, Inspiration is 
not consistent with itself. The prophets and apostles were 
conjointly builders in laying the foundation, that was to bear 
up the church with its embosomed millions, through unlimited 
ages to come, God the great architect and supervisor, and 
Jesus Christ the chief corner-stone, — the principal foundation. 
Says one, "the strength of buildings, lies in their angles ; the 
chief corner-stone unites and compacts them ; it is, therefore, 
the principal tie and support of the whole edifice. Now Christ 
is the chief corner-stone ; the main stress of the spiritual 
building rests on him, who, by his death, hath united the dif- 
ferent constituent parts of it into one compact, regular building 
and temple." 

How were the prophets concerned in laying this foundation? 
They foretold the Messiah in just the character and relations 
in which the apostles subsequently presented him. There is 
perfect harmony in their work. The development of the 
Messiah in the Old Testament is in accordance with the same 
principle upon which God, in his works, so uniformly pro- 
ceeds ; that is, by an ascending series and regular gradation, 
to a perfect development. The earliest and faintest intimation 
of hope, that the ruins of the fall should be restored, we*fce-an 
obscure promise, that human flesh should invest one mighty 
enough to bruise the destroyer. As an additional beam of 
hope, a great prophet — a Shiloh was predicted, "unto whom 
the gathering of the people should be." The light increases 
in the Psalms, and concentrates in the later prophets into one 
glorious Sun of Righteousness, rising upon the people with 
healing in his beams. Isaiah clears up every lingering doubt; 
he gives a perfect vision. He gives a portraiture as of one 
who had already lived, and left in his works the materials for 
his own biography. He reiterates the language of God — the 
first figure of the kind in the Bible; — "Behold I lay in ZioE 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. / 

for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, 
a sure Foundation. lie that believeth, shall not make haste." 
He represents the person, bearing this relation to the spiritual 
Zion as "by his righteous knowledge, justifying many: for 
he should boar their iniquities." Jeremiah expressly and 
repeatedly calls him "the Lord our righteousness." With this 
character and office the representations of " the lesser proph- 
ets " Malachi closes up the ancient canon with a start- 
ling prediction, that this divine messenger should " suddenly 
come.'' Thus much did the prophets, to lay the only and sure 
foundation of the Christian church. 

What did the holy apostles to confirm and complete the work 

of the prophets in laying the foundation ! Peter unequivocally 

declared to those, who assumed to be builders, but who had 

rejected this divine "Head-stone of the comer;" — " there is 

not salvation in any other, for there is no other name under 

■en. given among men, whereby we must be saved." He 

reminded believers, that Christ was the " chief corner-stone, 

elect, precious, laid in Zion; that those, who believed on him 

might never be confounded/' Paul said by the grace of God 

en unto him, he had laid this foundation; other foundation 

could no man lay : let the man who should attempt it be ac- 

cur taught all the apostles. "The beloved disciple" 

represents t ] 1( , blood of Christ, as the only means of cleansing 

fmm all sin. Christ, the golden link between prophets and 

and consolidates all their work into one grand 

proof, to ■ I the Eternal Etock upon which the church 

stan : 

" the foundation of apostles and prophets." Ts 

• I i t the unerring truth of God :- let 

all the ransomed millions, thai li 1 unshaken upon it 

amid the convulsions of kof nations, the fail- 

rthly hoj ' laults of ho I ins, 



8 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

answer. It is a " Stone," prepared by the counsels and wisdom 
of Eternity. It were as easy to upturn the deep foundations 
of the eternal Throne, as to destroy this foundation. Men 
may reject it ; they may insist that it is finite and perishable, 
like what is human, but still it stands, firm as the pavement 
of heaven. Said the eloquent Davies ; " Here is a stone, that 
can never moulder by the waste of all-consuming time. Pa- 
rian marble, and even the flinty rocks decay ; the firm founda- 
tions, the stately columns, the majestic buildings of Babylon 
and Persepolis, and all the magnificent structures of antiquity, 
though formed of the most durable stone, and promising im- 
mortality, are now shattered into ten thousand fragments, or 
lying in ruinous heaps. But here is a foundation for immortal 
souls, immortal as themselves." 

This Stone has been thoroughly " tried," as a basis for the 
church, in every possible form and by every possible power. 
Christ's meekness was tried by the abuses of cruel men, but 
never yielded to resentment. His obedience was tried and 
found perfect; to do his Father's will, was his delight. His 
love and zeal in his appropriate and chosen service ever 
glowed like an unquenchable flame. His love to sinners was 
tried, when, in their behalf, the grand problem was left to him 
of reconciling the due operation of both justice and mercy, so 
that no great interest should surfer, and yet the penitent be- 
liever be saved. He solved it by baring his own bosom, and 
suffering justice to bathe its sword in the heart of mercy. 
When the Father "laid on him the iniquities of us all," and 
hid his face, though his anguish extorted a cry, that must 
have silenced the very harps of the angels, yet he bowed his 
head in submission and in love. His ability to save, to the 
uttermost of their guilt, myriads of sinners sinking into perdi- 
tion, has. been fully proved. The general assembly and church 
of the first-born in heaven, with their ten thousand times ten 
thousand, and thousands of thousands, have been heard on 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. V 

earth, exclaiming with a loud voice, saying. "Worthy is the 
Lamb, that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wis- 
dom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing: for 
thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, 
out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation ; and 
hast made us unto our God, kings and priests/'' Thus has 
this foundation been well tried, and found unto praise: tried 
by the arch-apostate, to his everlasting confusion: tried by 
God, the Father, and found true to the "eternal covenant:'" 
tried by man in his enmity, and found divine in his patient 
endurance: tried by poor, perishing man in his contrition and 
sorrow, and in the wreck of all his hopes, and found " mighty 
to deliver.'' Well then may this sure foundation be precious 
to those that believe. 

Such being the basis upon which the church stands. Christ 
. truly say of his church, — ;; I bear up the pillars of it'- 
ll an • - and sustains all its parts. He incorporates and 
unites into o >rly, beautiful structure, and diffuses his 

own grace and polish over all the heterogeneous materials, 
i from palaces, cottages, and caves of the earth. Thus 
the church, "fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy tem- 
ple in the Lord, for his habitation through the Spirit" 

There is no possibility of mixing any foreign properties in 
this divini ly laid foundation work of the church. The least 
human admixture vitiates the whole. To join our own w< 

—our own righteousness to his, is to laj down by 
tlii- Bide of this eternal and precious foundation-stone our own 

y and worthless rubbish of :t wood, hay and Btubble." 

This work of laying supposed human goodness and merit in 

juxta-position with Christ's, is the fundamental, fatal mistake 

multitudes in our own day. Bays a truthful and beautiful 

writer on tin- subject, — "Apostles, prophets and all. are but 

1 without him. Their righteousness and strength 

are nothing. In him all their doctrines terminate: from him 

y derive all their efficacy. Take away this corner-stone, 



10 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

and immediately all the saints in heaven fall from their 
glorious elevation ; the saints upon earth, that are gradually 
rising heavenward, sink to rise no more. Take away this 
corner-stone, and this glorious, living temple, that has been 
building for so many ages, breaks to pieces, and covers heaven 
and earth with its ruins /" 

Thus we have the exclusive and grand basis of the Christ- 
ian church. There maybe a "church without a bishop," 
but no true church without this divine foundation. Otherwise, 
it is but a sinking mass of motley clay. A true church de- 
mands for its foundation a Saviour, whose name is "Wonder- 
ful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Eternal Progenitor, the 
Prince of peace; God manifest in the flesh;" one who was in 
the " beginning with God, and was God, but who was made 
flesh and dwelt among us;" u very God and very man" in 
mysterious union ; one, whom the saints and angels in glory 
might worship, as " the brightness of the Father's glory, and 
the express image of his person ; " one, who in counsel with the 
Father, could found the church, that was " to make known 
the manifold wisdom of God, in ages to come, to principalities 
and powers in heavenly places," — " that all should honor him 
even as they honor the Father." Such is he, who is styled, 
" The Lord, our Righteousness." He has brought in ever- 
lasting righteousness, and thus sustains every visible and 
invisible believer. 

We come now, to consider what are the needfid evidences, 
that any body of professed believers are upon this foundation. 
In other words, what constitutes a Christian church ? 

In order to establish this claim, Christ must be received, as 
the only prophetic and apostolic foundation, as already ex- 
plained.. Other foundation can no man or body of men lay. 
Christ is both support and head to his body, the church. He 
must be received as first, not merely in the sense of a divinely 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 11 

commissioned teacher, an example and a martyr: but as really 
"the end of the law for righteousness ,: to every believer : as 
the divinely appointed and accepted substitute tor the sinner 
in the matter of law and justice: as in the highest sense 
divine, that his infinity and all- sufficiency may be concerned 
in securing the great and general interests of the divine gov- 
ernment, while he atones for the sins of a lost race: as in a 
proper sense human, that he may be a perfect Mediator, hav- 
t fraternal sympathy with man in his weakness, trials and 
stations. :i Forasmuch as the children are partakers of 
i and blood, he also took part of the same. He took not 
on him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham: be- 
cause it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that 
he might be a merciful and faithful High-priest in things per- 
taining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the peo- 
il in that he hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to 
succor them that are tempted."' 

In the next place, a church, in order to establish the needful 
claim, must cordially receive certain doctrines necessarily un- 
in thus i a Christ. 

a propel distinction in the Godhead follows 
m unavoidable resultant of thus receiving Christ In some 
incomprehensible to human reason, though not contrary 
to it. while the Father and S one " in unity of nature 

and attributes, t : i distinction, so that the Father, when 

he revealed his Son, could say. "this is my beloved Son in 
Whom I am well pleased/ 1 and the Sou could say, — •• Lo 1 
come," in obedience to the Father's will. 

ruined and helpless condition of the human race in con- 
sin must receive ni< »t;il assent. Else there could 

Mind of neo t the incarnation and expiatory 

suff Son of God. If mankind are not radically 

. j, then there could 1 it moral 

demanding "Immanuel, God with us, " in the 

' an atoning Saviour. This doctrine is taught 



12 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

in the Bible. " All have sinned, — all the world have become 
guilty before God." This is f the reason why Christ tasted 
death for every man ; " this prepares the way for us to be "jus- 
tified freely by God's grace, through the redemption that is in 
Christ." 

In the true doctrine of Christ, there is also implied a neces- 
sity of repentance and the moral renovation of the soul. There 
is a proper distinction between godly sorrow for sin and regen- 
eration j but, as in the first instance, the one implies the other, 
we may now forget this distinction. It is not difficult to per- 
ceive, the race being so related to the law of God, as to fur- 
nish a ground for the death of Christ, that there exists an ab- 
solute necessity for a great moral change, to fit the soul for 
heaven. The death of Christ, as a simple fact, however sol- 
emn and interesting, could not both open heaven, and qualify 
men to enter. It removed restrictions and hindrances, while 
it left a great work for the Spirit to perform. Hence the 
great doctrine Christ propounded to Nicodemus. Hence too 
the correlative doctrine of the Holy Spirit, as a distinct agent, 
to renovate and sanctify the soul, and make the work of Christ 
effectual. Without these fundamental doctrines there can 
foe no living, spiritual church. 

Again, another needful evidence, that a church is upon the 
true basis is, that it exhibit spiritual union and symmetry. Oth- 
erwise it does not show "the image and superscription " of Him, 
who sitteth King in Zion. In Christ, all the building must be 
11 fitly framed together," that it may grow unto "an holy tem- 
ple in the Lord." To produce this spiritual union, symmetry 
and beauty, the members must be moulded into the same im- 
age by the Spirit of the Lord. This furnishes the ground of 
union in views, feelings and spiritual pursuits requisite in the 
family of Christ. It leads to, and promotes mutual love, one 
of the main elements in a true church, without which it has 
no grace nor comeliness. This kind of affiliation also implies 
holiness in the members, which blends all into harmony. 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 13 

This kind of union and symmetry also implies proper dis- 
cipline in the body. That church, which neglects it, will cer- 
tainly, under the action of depraved agencies upon it, soon 
appear disfigured and uncomely. It will have unseemly blots 
upon its character, and parts hanging about it. that are not 
homogeneous. It is not essential to the being of a true church, 
that it be perfectly pure. Man cannot separate all the alloy 
from the pure metal, but must leave that work to Him, who 
"shall sit as a Refiner and a Purifier." Yet no church can 
the rules of Christ, and prosper. If a church is duly 
attentive to those graces and to that discipline, which secure 
this needful spiritual union and symmetry, it will be luminous 
and impressive in its example, and fruitful in its deeds, 
Christ's index, — :: By their fruits, know them,'' — will point to 
that church as his own. 

It is necessary, to continue and promote this spiritual order, 
ilty and fruitfulness, that the institutions and ordinances of 
religion be uniformly maintained. The preached gospel and 
public means of grace are essential to the vitality of the 
church. God has made them requisite to the progress of his 
cause. Without the spiritual husbandman, the garden of the 
Lord soon becomes like the field of the sluggard; the plants 
of grace are " choked, that they become unfruitful." 

The last evidence to be adduced, as requisite to prove tin 

lity <»f a church, is satisfactory evidence to good m< n. ilmt 

in it by //is S/jirif. The members of the true 

church •■ are builded together for an habitation of ( rod through 

the Spirit" The church is God's dwelling. The Holy Spirit 
diffuses his influences through all its parts. The needful proofs 

of tins indwelling of the Spirit to ,: the spiritual, who diseem- 
6th all things," that pertain to essential truth and religious 

order, are the true piety, devotedness and happy influence of 
the church ; the production of a supernatural loveliness and 



14 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

beauty of character in prominent parts of the church, which 
make it " beautiful as Tirzah, and comely as Jerusalem." 
These characters are the beautiful garments of the spiritual 
Zion. This superhuman loveliness and beauty of character 
consists in that inimitable combination of graces and fruits of 
the Spirit, which compose the character of an eminent child of 
God. They are — " love, joy, long-suffering, gentleness, good- 
ness, faith, meekness, temperance." The presence of God in 
a church, by his Spirit, is made evident to a good man, by the 
production and growth of these graces. 

Sometimes God makes his presence known by an extraordi- 
nary effusion of his Spirit upon his people, when their feelings 
are unusually tender, solemn and devotional ; when they are 
observed u to love each other with a pure heart fervently ; " 
and when their prayers and sympathies are affectionately 
called forth with reference to those, neglecting their personal 
salvation, and living in sin. These " times of refreshing from 
the presence of the Lord" afford indubitable evidence to good 
men, that God is in his holy temple, beautifying, enlarging and 
strengthening the place of his glory. 

Such are thought to be the most prominent proofs needed, 
to show that any body of men, called a church, are upon the 
only and Divine Foundation, laid by prophets and apostles, 
"Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Corner-stone." Un- 
less a body of men, claiming to be a church, can exhibit these 
proofs with greater or less clearness, how can they establish 
their claim ? There may be the form but it is lifeless. It is a 
dry tree. The winds of heaven may sigh through its well- 
proportioned branches, or they may make sweet iEolian mu- 
sic, but, it remains a dead tree still. It has no sweet fragrance 
to diffuse around ; it has no good fruit to shake to the earth. 
The husbandman prunes it, and digs about it in vain ; it 
stands a sad monument of life, that once was, but is now gone 
forever ; lost, perhaps, by the stealthy workings of an enemy 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 15 

at the root, or by the criminal neglect of those responsible for 
its good preservation. 

If the foregoing be true, two remarks, naturally suggested, 
will be fitting and proper before proceeding. They will be of- 
fered in the briefest manner possible. 

First, ice learn the true way Ly which a church is to perpetu- 
ate itself. It is by standing firm upon the "Sure Foundation.' 1 
It must consistently maintain, and practically apply those 
very obvious drjetrines of grace, that cluster about the great 
central doctrine, that the Divine Redeemer died to atone for 
the sins of men, and to bring in everlasting righteousness. 
Against such a church, neither the sophistries and blandish- 
ments of error, nor "the gates of hell" can ever prevail. 

Secondly, ice learn why, in the lapse of time, the light of so 
many of the Puritan churches went out in darkness. They 
were wisely and well built upon the "Rock, Christ Jesi, 

ir pillars were those great and cardinal doctrines, insepar- 
ably connected with the doctrine of a vicarious and atoning 
iour. But they suffered :.«emselves imperceptibly to slide, 
or to be gently drawn, from the li Sure Foundation." They 
became careless of their birthright, when one much youn 
claiming affinity, took it from them. Now. like a petrified 
man, they lie in mournful, though in gorgeous state. 

It gives us unfeigned pleasure to find assurance, that this 

church to-day celebrating its Centennial, was at its origin, 

"built upon the Foundation of apostles and prophets." To 

ous founders, the Chief Corner-stone was precious. It is 

■ ■fill to find, that it early gave, and has continued to give / 

Qgprool 4 'imo chureh of Christ) that a most frtt£- 

kind and gracious Providence cherished and watched over its 
infancy, promoted its growth and its strength, and has ,> V er 

rv<-d it upon its original This will be sufficient- 

it', we trust, as we now trace its history from its 

origin. 



16 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH 



More minuteness of detail will be proper in giving the in- 
cidents of early times, especially of the first period, than of 
the later periods. These, if they have not less to interest, 
are better known. Brevity, therefore, upon the second and 
third periods of the history of the church of Christ in this 
place will be excusable. 

EARLY SETTLEMENT OE THE PLACE.* 

It appears from ancient deeds still extant, that settlements 
in Groton, west of the " Lancester River," now the Nashua, 
were begun about 1720 or '21, first in the northerly and east- 
erly parts of what is now Pepperell. The number of families 
increased, till in 1738, there were from thirty to forty families 
on the west side of the river, whe*e-we find the first intima- 
tion of a desire to become a distinct precinct. Thef^ these 
families, joined by the people residing in the north part of Gro- 
ton, and what is now Dunstable, made an earnest attempt to 
get " set off" from Groton for this purpose, but failed. The 
town opposed the measure from a probable unwillingness to 
lose, at once, all the northern and western portions of its ter- 
ritory. It is interesting to notice in the petition of these fami- 
lies, at this time, to " The Great and General Court " of the 
Colony, and also in the petition to the same body from the 
people on this — the west side of the river in 1742, which was 
successful, that the principal reason given, why their request 
should be granted, was their "distance from preaching, they 
being from six to eight miles from the house of God, so that 
their families were, in a great measure, deprived of religious 

* See Note C. App. 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 17 

privileges." Their petition was granted June 26, 17-12, 0. S. ' 
This petition states, that there were then, west of the river , 

forty families. It seems, therefore, that their value of the gos- 
pel led the early settlers of this place, to seek a separate exist- 
ence, and ultimately led to a distinct town. Indeed tradition 
tells of a woman, previous to this, walking eight miles in the 
winter on snow-shoes, to hear the word of God preached. It 
should he stated, that when the second attempt was made to 
get set off, as a precinct, exclusively by the people, who lived 
on the west side of the river, the town of Groton made no op- 
position to the measure, but readily voted assent. 

ORGANIZATION OF THE PARISH AND FIRST PREACHING. 

The first parish meeting, of which there is record, was held 
Jan. 19, 17 HA This was not till after the people were regu- 
larly " voted off" by the town of Groton, which was in the 
year 1741. At this meeting there was a regular organiza- 
tion, with a full complement of officers, and a grant of £10, 
1 1 :Vav the necessary Charges, Risen and Arising in Sd. 
Parish.'' Doubtless regular preaching was then contemplated, 
liver since that time the organization has been perpetuated. 

The first vote, to obtain preaching, was passed Feb. lo. 
1742,1 when a committee was chosen, " to Provide Preaching 
till ye last day of Apiil next." The following vote passed 
March L5, 1743, gives the first hint of regular meetings on the 
Sabbath, though there doubtless was preaching ere this. The 
previous rote renders it probable. : - Voted to Abate Rnosh 
Lawrenc . provided ye Parish have ye Benefit of his 

House to meet in on Lords Days." In September of the same 
year it wa ' Voted to hier preaching from ye first Sab. in 
Nov. till ye last Sab. in April next." and " to have Preaching 
at ye house of Nehemi'h Hobarl in Sd. Parish." Tradition 

I, that the house Of Bnosh Lawrence, where it is very 

App. ' App. 

2 



18 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

probable the first preaching of the gospel in this place was en- 
joyed, stood in close proximity to the site now occupied by the 
large store building in the East Village ; and that the house of 
Nehemiah Hobart stood on "the river road" nearly opposite 
the one now tenanted by Mr. David R. Shattuck. The Sab- 
bath meetings, for a considerable time, seem to have been al- 
ternated between these two houses by regular periods. Preach- 
ing was henceforth enjoyed at stated times, until the settle- 
ment of a minister. 

The following most interesting vote, as developing a happy 
feeling of dependence upon divine aid at that early period, 
was passed March 13, 1744, nearly three years before a church 
was constituted, and a pastor settled. " Yoted to keep ye last 
Day of March Instant a Day of fasting and Prayer to Al- 
mighty God for direction in ye Important affair of settling a 
Minister. Chose a Com'e to take advice of the Neigh- 
boring Ministers, and to invite them to assist in Sd. Fast, and 
to make Provision for them." God noticed and approved of 
their piety and smiled upon their endeavors. It is probable, 
that Mr. Wm. Yinal was then preaching for them, as about a 
month later we find the precinct voted him a call, to settle 
with them in the work of the ministry, though no church had 
then been gathered. Why he did not comply, does not ap- 
pear. As at this time, there was a serious diversity of opin- 
ions with respect to locating the meeting-house, perhaps he 
thought the people unprepared to settle a minister, though 
they needed a spiritual counsellor the more. 

FIRST MEETING-HOUSE. 

The enterprise of building a house of worship was contem- 
plated, as soon as Groton consented to the existence of a dis- 
tinct parish. As already intimated, the town, at first, seems 
to have been disinclined to grant the request of the petitioners, 
probably because it was then proposed to cut off all the North 
part of the town. 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 19 



At the second meeting of the parish, held February 16, 17 12, 
it was "voted to build a Meeting-House m Sd. Parish. Voted 
that the Meeting House should stand at the most convenient 
place, near Jo Blood's fording — so called."' Blood's ford was 
near the present site of the lower paper-mill on Nashua river. 
The reason of this intended location, was to accommodate the 
people in the north part of Groton, who were desirous of being 
united with the parish, as we learn from the joint petition of 
seventeen hundred and thirty-eight to "The Great and Gen- 
eral Court,'' and as we also learn from the following vote, pass- 
ed one month after it was voted to build the meeting-house ; — 
M Voted to Receive the People on the East side of ye River, 
that have Petitioned to be annexed, to us, Provided they will 
consent to have the Meeting-House set at ye most Con- 
venient Place on ye West side ye River near ye Bridge next 
below Jo Bloods fordway so called.*' The people in the west 
part of the precinct were dissatistied with this Location of the 
house; thinking it much too far east, they remonstrated. At 
a meeting, held September 6, 17 13, it was therefore " voted to 
reconsider the vote, that was past Concerning the Place, that 

! first pitcht upon for ye setting of a Meeting House in Sd. 
Parish, voted to set the .Meeting House at the end of three 
Quarters of a mile, Northeast of the Center of Sd. Parish, or 
at the next Convenient Plaee. Voted to Build a Meeting 
House, forty two feet Long, and thirty feet Wide, and Twenty 
feel High." 

after committee was appointed, and a surveyor 
employed, to run the lines of the precinct, and (ind the centre. 
This was done, and th< determinating line run, three quarters 

of a mile due uortheasl from tie- centre. The BDOt was thus 

fixed upon by the majority, who lived m the easterly pan of 
the place. Materials were gathered there, to some extent, for 
erecting the house; but the people of the westerly pan. head- 
ed by Air. MoseS Woods, were BO deridedly opposed to the lo- 
cation, and the gathering cloudfl of discontent looked so omin- 



20 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

ous, that, to end the controversy and secure the peace and 
union of the parish, it was agreed, during the season of '44, 
that a reference of the " vexed question " should be made to 
" The Great and General Court." November 23, 1744, it was 
" Yoted that Peleg Lawrence and Josiah Sartell be a Com'e , 
to go to The Great and General Court Concerning ye having 
a Meeting House Place in So*. Parish." The court were propi- 
tious, and appointed a committee to survey the place, and lo- 
cate the meeting-house. The parish chose a committee to 
" show the Court's committee the inhabitants of the place," 
and the limits of the precinct. Some time during that year, it 
appears, that the committee from the General Court sat in the 
place, and decided upon the site now occupied by the old 
meeting-house. February 19, 1745, the parish " Voted to set 
the Meeting House on ye Place that ye General Court prefixed ." 

The happy result of this decision is best learned from the 
pastor, subsequently settled. He says, in his sermon at the 
dedication of the second meeting-house ; — " There is one thing 
I can't but mention, as a kind interposition of Divine Provi- 
dence, tho' considered as such by very few at the time, and 
that is; — The fixing the place for The Meeting House, by the 
Court's committee ; tho' at first contrary to the mind and vote 
of the majority of the inhabitants, yet proves now to be with 
much more equity, and where all seem to be universally con- 
tented with. Had it been erected in the place designed, and 
where the timber was drawn to, what trouble, change, and 'tis 
very likely contention, we must have been exercised with be- 
fore this day." 

The building was soon erected, and probably occupied first 
during the early part of the season of 1745. No record of a 
dedication is found. Probably, as the building received what 
finish it finally had, by piece-meal, through a period of six 
years or more, it never was formally consecrated to its hal- 
lowed purpose. The building was a very simple and unique 
structure. 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 21 

The following i^tee- will Jevelope the order and !; the glory 
of the first house," in which the pious fathers rejoiced to wor- 
ship Him, who dwelleth not in temples made with hands. 
"September ye 11. 1711, Voted that Sd. Committee frame, 
Raise and board the outside and shingle ye Roof, Lay the un- 
der floor, and make suitable Doors, and hang ye Same." 
This done, and its exterior seems to have been completed, as 
we find no further orders respecting it. The committee were 
directed. March 6, 1745, "to build the Pulpit and ye Body 
seats below." This done, definite spaces upon the lower floor 
were allotted to individuals, according to their rank, as " pay- 
ers of rates." There they could accommodate themselves 
with such kind of seats, as suited their convenience or taste. 

January 28, 1746, a committee was chosen "to seat the 

Public Meeting House,' 9 and it was ordered, that "Sd. Com'ee. 

ff the Pews, [or pew-ground, or as it is called in another 

place] to the Highest Payers in ye three last Rates upon 

their being obliged to build their own Pews, and the Ministe- 
rial Pew, and to seal the .Meeting House as high as ye Girts 
all Round." The committee laid out the ground floor, as di- 
rected, in feet and inches, and reported each man's position 
and portion to the parish, which was accepted and recorded. 
March 5, 1746, it was "Voted that Windows be cut, where 

needed, Provided they that cut them Maintain them upon 

their own Cost, that they be no Parish Charge." March 1, 

1749, it was " Voted to finish the Building the seats in ye 

Gallery, and to Seal ye Meeting House from ye Gallery floor 

up to the beams." One week afterwards it was " Voted to 

Glaze ye Public Meeting House, and to provide hoards to Lay 

on ye floor over head . " and again, " Voted to seat the 

Public I House by the three la P j " Tins 

of the Public Meeting 1 1 >u e" a <!"nc every fl w 

il stood. •• March 6, I J 50j \ ote 1 to g 

Men ,! ' iberty to 



22 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

Row of Banisters with a Rail stop before ye fore Seats at their 
own Cost and Charge." 

Under date of March 6, 1754 we find the order of leaving 
the house from the gallery. This order was probably occa- 
sioned by some disturbance and haste among the less orderly 
ones in leaving the house of God. "Yoted that the fore seat 
of the Front and Side Gallery go out first, and then the second 
seat in the front and side Gallery." June 5, 1755, a committee 
was again chosen, " to seat the house." Their instructions 
were, to do it by the customary rule, "having a due regard to 
age, and not to Degrade any man." The young men were 
granted some privileges at this time. It was " Yoted what 
was past Last meeting, Concerning the Young Mens Pews 
above Stand good. Excepting this — they are not to Raise the 
Floor hier than to be good standing, voted that the Young 
Men in the Front have Liberty to make two Windows, and 
Raise their Standing level with the Floor." — This memorable 
Sanctuary was occupied, doubtless by very humble and hap- 
py worshipers, about twenty-five years, when it was sold to 
the architect of the second, by him removed to his farm, con- 
verted to the unworthy purpose of a barn, and afterwards 
burned to the ground. This we learn from Mr. E's sermon 
at the dedication of the Second Meeting-House. 

ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH. 

In the first volume of the "Church Records" stands the 
following; — " A church was gathered January 29, 1746 — 7, * 
which was kept as a Day of Fasting and Prayer by the Par- 
ish. Mr. Trowbridge and Mr. Emerson assisted. There were 
fifteen signed the Covenant before ordination." The following 
vote, found in the records of the precinct, corresponds. " Janu- 
ary 19, 1747, voted that the last Thursday in this month be 
kept as a Day of Fasting and Prayer to Almighty God for his 



* See Note D. App 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 23 

Blessing on us in ye Great affair of Sealing a Gospel Minister 
over us." 

Here is a fact worthy of being kept in perpetual remem- 
brance. The earthly foundations of this church were laid, and 
the first pastor introduced to his work with fasting and prayer. 
Who can doubt, that in consequence of this, rich spiritual 
blessings have descended upon the successive generations of 
the church, then founded 1 

One of the fifteen, who originally signed the covenant, nev- 
er took up his connection, where he belonged, and the church 
subsequently voted to have no responsibility with respect to 
him. So that he never came into full communion with the 
church. Of the fourteen others, eleven were dismissed from 
the church in Groton, of which Rev. Caleb Trowbridge was 
their pastor. The Othei three probably came into the church 
on p. i of their faith, as there is no record of their dis- 

Bion from any other church. Those, who originally signed 
the covenant, were all male members, Elizabeth Shed, the 
first female, was received on the seventh of June following, 
see, then, that the church was formed principally by a 
colony of eleven men from the Groton church. 

following will give a succinct view of the early state 
and regulations of this church. Provision was made the first 
year of its existence, by a tax upon all the members, for a 
mall church fund, to supply the communion table and for 
charitable purposes. It was the custom of the church to lix 
upon ;i sum. which each member should pay into the treasury 
ption «-f the elements. For a few years the dea- 
empted, but eventually the tax was imposed upon 

all. At one tunc it was made lb.* duty of each to enclose tbe 

huh id to write the name of tbe contributor upon tie' 

lope. Widows were soon freed from this tax. 

y the church adopted tbe practice of meeting with 

their families^ on Friday previous to the sacrament for relig- 
worship, and preparation for the approaching solemnity. 



24 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

This custom — so fitting and commendable — of holding relig- 
ious services preparatory to the communion, never has been 
abandoned in this church, though the good primitive practice, 
of bringing the household along with the believing heads of the 
family, is too much forgotten. It was the custom, from the 
first, for the church to choose a standing committee, to aid in 
managing church business. In process of time, it was ordered, 
that all business should come before the church through this 
committee. 

No person could be admitted to the church without giving 
credible evidence of "the washing of regeneration, and the 
renewing of the Holy Spirit." A relation of religious experi- 
ence before the church was required. The church was in- 
duced, during the long period of religious declension, in the 
second stage of its history, to lay aside this salutary practice. 
It was soon revived again however, virtually, in the third pe- 
riod of its history, and has been continued to the present time. 
No person, belonging to another church, could commune with 
this more than one year, without a transfer of relations. This 
practice was continued throughout the ministry of the second 
pastor. Discipline was very strict, and Scriptural, care being 
taken to follow the directions of the Saviour and his apostles. 
Misdemeanors, which we might now regard as slight, were 
noticed by the church. No member was allowed to be long 
absent from church ordinances without an assigned and good 
cause. Charges, when entertained against a member were 
presented in writing, generally with the names of the wit- 
nesses appended. 

Infant and household baptism was universally and invaria- 
bly observed by believing heads of families, generally while 
the children were quite young. The pastor not only kept a 
record of all the baptized children in the place, but he kept a 
list of all the unbaptized children from year to year. Heads 
of families, as was very common at that day, were permitted 
{C to own the covenant," and have their children baptized ; but 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 25 

when this was done, both parents and children were consid- 
ered and treated, as amenable to the church, and subject to its 
rules, though they could not thereby come to the communion. 
This practice was probably found to be abused, as in 1767, the 
church voted unanimously, :; that no person shall be pro- 
pounded in order to own the covenant, but who, after exami- 
nation, it appears to ye pastor and ye standing committee of 
this church, that it is through tenderness of conscience, dare 
not come to ye Lord's Table." This probably explains the 
original design and the origin of this practice of c: owning the 
covenant.'' It was designed to bring certain important privi- 
leges within the reach of those, who gave evidence to those 
qualified and authorized to judge in the case-, that they were 
Christians, and yet through the weakness of their faith, dared 
not to take upon them the obligations of a Christian profession. 
Christian heads of families, universally maintained family 
worship. They covenanted to do this, when joining the 
church, saying — :: we promise to keep up the Worship of God 
in our Families, that our Houses may be Bethels wherein the 
Morning and Evening Sacrifice shall ascend." 

Admonitions and confessions for :: scandalous sins" were 

public on the Sabbath. Any baptized person, or one, who had 

M owned the covenant," when falling into " scandalous sin," 

called to account, like those in full communion, showing 

that the church regarded all baptized persons, as sustaining a 
risible relation to it, and under its watch and care. 
It was the custom of the church, to induct its deacons into 
ofiiec wiih a charge, exhortation and prayer by the pastor in 

open church meeting. It is I retted that this pra :tii 

which appea Bcriptural, should rally have been 

laid aside in the congregational churches. I cannot forbearto 
mention that, at two different times in its early existence, the 
church ' t on account of the mental bereavement of 

one or i wo of its members, showing :- if one member surTei 

with it." Indeed, its spirit of fraternal sympa- 



26 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

thy, and humble dependence on God, as evinced by its sea- 
sons of fasting and devotion, was one of its most delightful 
and impressive features. — Such is a correct view of the early 
and, in a measure, of the continued state of this church, as 
drawn from the records left by those, who have been set over 
it, as watchmen. 

SETTLEMENT OF THE FIRST PASTOR. 

The Rev. Joseph Emerson,* the first pastor of the church, 
was ordained Feb. 25, 1747, about one month after the forma- 
tion of the church, having been admitted to it on the morning 
of his ordination. His ministry seems to have been eminently 
successful and happy. He admitted one hundred and ninety- 
six persons to the church, averaging nearly seven a year, dur- 
ing the entire twenty-nine years of his ministry, though the 
population of the place was then small. The youngest mem- 
ber he admitted was seventeen, and the oldest sixty years of 
age. The years during which his labors seem to have 
been more signally blessed, when there seems to have been 
something like a revival of religion, were the years '58 and 
'71. Ten in each of these years made a profession of their 
faith. There was no year when Mr. E. had not the pleasure 
of receiving some to the church. There seems to have been 
quite a uniform growth of the church, and, in general, a happy 
state of religious feeling during his entire ministry. He bap- 
tized eight hundred and seven persons, solemnized one hun- 
dred and seventy-three marriages and sat, with delegates from 
his church, on twenty-six councils. It is abundantly evident 
from the productions of his pen, the good name, and the happy 
influence he left behind him, that he was a staid friend to his 
people, a good citizen, a faithful pastor, perfectly sound in the 
faith of his Puritan fathers — " the faith once delivered to the 
saints," a decidedly evangelical and spiritual preacher, and 
ardently devoted to the religious culture of his assigned field. 



* See Note E. App. 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 27 

He had a spirit and a faith in perfect sympathy with Edwards 
and Whitefield, those divinely honored instruments of pro- 
moting so extensively the kingdom of Christ and the revival 
of "pure and undefiled religion" previous to, and about the 
middle of the eighteenth century. Of this the following is 
proof, taken from his sermon, preached Oct. 7. 177m. just one 
week from the death of Whitefield, in honor of whom it was 
delivered, from Ps. 12; 1. He says, in closing this discourse, 
— :: What hath particularly led my tho'ts to this subject at 
this time is ye melancholy news we heard ye last week- of ye 
death of yt eminently zealous, pious and faithful minister of 
J. 0. — ye Rev. Mr. George Whitefield, who was suddenly 
called out of this frail state, to his everlasting rest — last Lord : s 
day morning. Mr. Whitefield, of whom you have heard so 
much, : His voice, which has charmed so many 

thousands of hearers, will be heard no more! He is gone 
c where the wick .' &c. — We may well cry now — l Help 

Lord ; for a godly man hath ceased, for a faithful om hath 
failed from among y children of men} " He then gives some 
account of his origin, education, and early preaching in Eng- 
land, quotes at length the worthy character, and the account 
of his great success, which the infidel Hume, gives of White- 
I in his history, in which Hume says, ;: Whitefield's chief 
doctrines were, the absolute necessity of a new birth; that 
man. of himself, was unable to accept the terms of salvation, 
without the immediate influences and call of the Spirit of 
grace : that an unregenerate person could have no more no- 
tion of these inward feelings, than a blind man of colors; 
that good works arc of no avail," &c. [in original acceptance 
with God, thro' the righteousness of Christ.] -Mr. E. then 

Thifl we may look upon as (In testimony of an 

md therefore true, 'i': ood man began in preach- 

culiar doctrin ace ] as original sin. ye igno- 

rance, stupidity, inclination to all evil, and disinclination to 

all good, Which is in every person by nature, which he | 



28 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

to express, in his strong, figurative way, by saying man, in 
his natural state, was half beast and half devil, which, if I was 
to fault, it would be by his ascribing too great an honor to ye 
man, as allowing him too great a proportion of ye beast; — the 
necessity of regeneration, of ye influences of ye spirit of God, 
justification by faith, ye perseverance of ye saints and at ye 
same time, he was as earnest in pressing upon his hearers ye 
necessity of holiness. Thus he began his ministry, and to his 
dying day he continued in ye same. — In England he was the 
instrument of beginning a reformation. When he first made 
a visit to this country, his labors were very much blessed, 
which with the labors of some itinerants, who followed, pro- 
duced one of the most glorious reformations yt this land ever 
experienced, ye happy effects of which are evident to this day. 
Upon the whole, I look upon him, as one of ye most extraor- 
dinary ministers, who have appeared upon ye stage ; since ye 
Apostles' day. But he is gone! — I can't but think 'tis our 
duty to embalm his memory." He then invokes his brethren 
in the church to pray earnestly for their own minister, " that 
he might be alike zealous and faithful in all his work, and not 
labor in vain, but be able at length, when his master should 
call, to give up his account with joy, saying — Behold here am 
I", and the children, ichich God hath given me." From this 
extract, it is perfectly evident with what kind of ministers he 
sympathized, what doctrines he loved and preached, and with 
what deep and tender interest he looked upon " revivals of re- 
ligion" 

He was remarkable for his orderly and systematic habits, 
as all the writings and records he has left fully prove. His 
talents and accomplishments were such as to render him popu- 
lar in the circle of his acquaintance and labors. He lived in 
" times, that tried men's souls," but showed himself a true- 
hearted patriot, and he infused his own spirit into the people 
of the town. He passed with his people through trying scenes 
among themselves. He says to his people in a manuscript 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 29 

sermon, preached at the dedication of the second meeting- 
house ; "In your infant state, you were preserved from the 
barbarous enemy ;" — meaning th< - B, that early infested 

the place: — this was a frontier place. " Since my residing here, 
we have had garrisons and soldiers allowed as by the govern- 
ment; we have been obliged to carry our arms to the house oi 
God, when we assembled fur worship." 

The years 1755, 6, 7 and S will be ever memorable in this 
place for that most distressing and fatal Bickness, that regu- 
larly visited the place, as the warm returned. This 
was at the time of the war with the French and Indians, in 
which the colonies were engaged. The town was then obliged 
to furnish its proportion of men and means for the war, which, 
at such a time, was a severe draught. During the year '57, 
from the tirst of July to the middle of October, there were two 
hundred and ninety sicAr, twenty-five of idiom died. The dis- 
trict then numbered ninety families. Mr. Emerson himself 
was disabled by severe sickle ral months. The third 
of Jan., 1760, was observed in the place to commemorate the 
goodness of God in terminating the sickness. The pastor then 
preached a Thanksgiving sermon, which was published, in 
which he says; — "In these four years, there were above live 
hundred and forty persons sick ; one hundred and three died, 
— no less than forty-eight heads of families, and sixty-four 
grown persons. How great was our distress for two years 
especially, in the height of the sickness! How was ihe 
Husbandry □ I for want of Hands! Some of the fruits 
of the ESarth lefl to Buffer, if not perish for warn of Ingath- 

erers, and we obliged, notwithstanding, to famish OUI whole 

Quota for tin- war! — J low did th<' snl< Buffer for want of at- 
tendance I How last did the graves iill ! How were widows 

and widowers, fatherless and motherless children multiplied 
among us I One of the years, there were near two hundred 

confined at the same tine' : your Pastor at the point of Heath, 
and confined from the Bouse of God foui months ! Mow many 



30 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. ■ 

circumstances concurred to make it a day of darkness and dis- 
tress !" In all these perils and distresses, the heart of the 
good man was knit in love and sympathy with his people. 

Before he was gathered to his fathers, he had the joy of seeing 
a more spacious and commodious house erected for divine wor- 
ship, and of dedicating it to the only living and true God, the 
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to the inculcation of that 
gracious system of faith, which he and his church so firmly 
believed and loved. * In this second house he faithfully 
preached the doctrines of grace to his devoted people for five 
years, when, after a sickness of several weeks, he died on the 
Lord's Day, Oct. 29, 1775, aged 51 years, having been the 
only minister of the place about twenty-nine years, and always 
having lived in peace and harmony with his people. 

Tradition says, that during the season of ^75, he visited the 
American army, then investing Boston, drawn there by the 
unquenchable ardor he felt in the cause of his country, and by 
a large representation of his own people then there ; that he 
offered the first prayer heard in the American camp; that 
there he contracted a cold, which induced the disease, that 
terminated his valuable and useful life. His loss was greatly 
lamented by his people and the entire circle of his friends. 
He left a widow, much respected and beloved, and five chil- 
dren, four sons and one daughter, to mourn at his grave. His 
people made a record of his death, as well as an inscription 
upon the tablet over his tomb, which evinced their sense of his 
worth, and how sincerely they deplored their friend and pastor. 

We have been minute, thus far, in giving the history of the 
church, and in delineating the character of its first pastor, be- 
cause he was so deeply concerned in laying its foundations, 
and in moulding its future character, and that of the people. 
Early incidents are also less familiar, and are fast fading 
away. On such an occasion as this we naturally recur to the 
infancy of this church and people. More brevity in relation 
to later periods will be excusable. 

* See Note F. App. 



C E X T E X X I A L DISCOURSE. 31 

SETTLEMENT OF THE SECOND PASTOR. 

After the death of the first pastor, the people were without 
a minister nearly four years. Their attenti- . to have 

been much absorbed in public affairs. It has been already 
seen, that Mr. Emerson deceased at the opening of the Ameri- 
can revolution. As their records show. th< of this 
place were deeply interested in the cause o[ freedom, in hold- 
ing meetings, to supply men and money for the war, and in 
corresponding wiili committees of the (Jeneral Court. This 
might have been one reason for the long delay in filling the 
great void made by the death of their pastor. They seem to 
have sustained regular preaching. In the Autumn of " T « >. Mr. 
Joseph Emerson — son of their lamented pastor, who had 
graduated at Harvard College a little time previously, supplied 
the pulpit for a period longer or shorter. lie seems not to 
have lived long, to wear the mantle of his father. In the 
spring of 78, tin.' church and town concurred in giving Mr. 
Jonathan Allen an invitation to settle with them, but the union 
was not consummated. In the following Spring of '79, the 
church and town united in inviting Air. John Bullard of Mrd- 
way, a graduate of Harvard I nivcrsity, to settle with them in 
the gospel ministry. He gave a favorable answer in July, and 
was ordained Oct. IS, of that year, to the very general satis- 
faction of the church and people.* 

EL .. Mr. Bullard's connection with his people was long 
continued and happy. As with his predecessor, DOthing oc- 
curred to interrupt the general harmony. This period, how- 

r, was not distinguished by so much apparent success, as 
the one. which preceded, and the one which followed it Mr. 
Bullard's ministry reached two periods in which the country 
was engaged in war with Great Britain. I' covered the en- 
tire period of settling the affairs and principles of the General 
and th«' Si governments after the Revolution, as also the 

A j.j.. 



32 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

entire period of one of these wars. The public mind was, 
therefore, turned in another direction, than to spiritual and 
personal religion. It was a time of general declension through- 
out the land. In this feeling, this church and people, like a 
great many others, too strongly sympathized. In this respect 
the more limited success of this period is explained. Mr. Bul- 
lard admitted to the church one hundred and fifty-six per- 
sons ; baptized five hundred and fifty-six ; solemnized four 
hundred and twenty-nine marriages ; and, with delegates 
from his church, was called to aid in twenty-six councils. 
Nothing of a very marked character seems to have occurred 
during this period, if we except the commencement of Sabbath 
school instruction in the place. It appears, that, some time in 
the season of 1819, Mrs. Lucy S. Cutter, wife of N. Cutter, 
M. D., assisted by some other ladies, who were greatly en- 
couraged and aided by their pastor, opened Sabbath schools 
in three different places in the town. In this, we discovered 
the feelings of Mr. B. towards a very important and useful 
institution, when it was very unpopular, except among evan- 
gelical Christians. His death, in about two years, interrupted 
these mutual labors in behalf of the children. They were re- 
sumed on the settlement of the third pastor, and have since 
been continued systematically. 

The Rev. John Bullard died Sept. 18, 1821. aged 65 years, 
having nearly completed the forty-second year of his ministry 
in this place, honored and esteemed by his people and friends 
in life, and truly lamented in death. Attempts have been 
made to show an affinity between him and an order of re- 
ligionists, whose lovc-and " liberal views" he seems never to 
have adopted. It is probable, that his theological views were 
of a medium character. While he did not receive some of the 
stronger points of a Calvin or a Hopkins, yet he held fast to 
all those distinguishing doctrines, which are received in com- 
mon by all evangelical Christians. While there is abundant 
evidence of this, there seems to be none to the contrary. That 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 33 

he was a decided Trinitarian, as his creed still extant proves, 
seems to be generally conceded. This concession carries more 
with it, than is sometimes supposed. Trit/itarianism does not 
often stand out in unsupported isolation, like a sturdy pasture 
oak, to breast alone hostile winds and other agencies. It 
gathers around it a kindred growth. So it did in this good 
man's faith. The following expression in the covenant, which 
Mr. B. always used in the church and which he probably 
wrote himself, as it was introduced with him to the church, it 
must be confessed, has a strong Calvinistic complexion ; — 
' c You humbly and penitently ask of God forgiveness, thru" 
the blood of Christ, for all your sins, whether original or ac- 
tual. ;; 

The following is substantially the character given him by 
one of his nearest brethren in the ministry, the Rev. Eli Smith 
of Hollis. who was contemporary and familiar with him twen- 
ty-eight yearSy and is still living in the full possession of his 
memory and all his mental powers. — "The Rev. John Bullard 
was above mediocrity as a man of talents, was affable in his 
manners, popular in his address, and acceptable as a preacher, 
not only to his own people, but in the neighboring towns. 
In his theological views he was a decided Trinitarian, called 
himself a moderate Calvinist, and always ranked himself with 
the evangelical clergy. Though once somewhat prejudiced 
against : Reformations,' yet, in the latter part of his life, be- 
tam dly //tore favorabh to them ) an<l mure spiritual in 

his preaching. 11 This testimony, especially the latter part, is 
substantiated by living and very intelligent members of his 
church, who, of course, must know his "doctrim and manner 
of liff "" among them. That Mr. B. was any thing but verg- 
ing to loose views in the latter pari of Ins life, is evident from 
the fact, that on his death bed, to his attending physician, al- 
luding to what is Called " liberal Christianity." then develop- 
ing itself iii the vicinity. ■■//>■ deplored the errors^ that i 
epingintoth* churches.' 1 It ie known to members of hi 
3 



34 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

church still living, that he sympathized strongly with some 
feeble churches in this vicinity, that were obliged to secede 
and to submit to great sacrifices to save their faith and con- 
sciences, on account of " liberal movements." In 1815, when 
the cause of missions in this land was young, and ridiculed in 
certain quarters, as Utopian, he preached and published a ser- 
mon — the only one he seems ever to have published — in which 
he boldly advocates this cause, meets objections, and enforces 
the duty of giving to sustain it. 

The following is from the Rev. Ebenezer Hill, of Mason, a 
man every way qualified to inform us of his contemporary. 
" With respect to the orthodoxy of my esteemed friend and 
Brother, Rev. John Bullard, I say that our acquaintance was 
long and intimate. It began even before my entering the 
ministry, and continued until his death ; and in all this time, 
I never even suspected him to be unsound in articles of faith 
usually considered orthodox. — I know of nothing to lead any 
one to suspect Mr. B. to be in sentiment anti-trinitarian, unless 
it be that almost peculiar urbanity, which led him to treat all 
men of learning and of fair moral character as friends and 
companions." This must be a poor ground of suspicion as to 
heterodoxy, and yet it seems to be about the only one. The 
Rev. Humphrey Moore of Milford, N. H. says,— " It is my 
opinion, that Rev. John Bullard, of Pepperell, belonged to that 
class of ministers, called Orthodox." 

It is an interesting fact, that the last official act Mr. Bullard 
performed, was to aid in ordaining Rev. George Fisher over 
" The Calvinistic church and Society," in Harvard,— a 
church, that for conscience' sake, and the enjoyment of that 
" faith once delivered to the Saints," had left the place, where 
their fathers worshiped, and sought anew an habitation for 
their God. He did this act, and came home to die. In six 
days he was a corpse, and his spirit sought its rest in heaven. 
He left a widow and eight children, four sons and four 
daughters, to mourn the loss of an affectionate and devoted 
^usband and father. 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 35 

SETTLEMENT OF THE THIRD PASTOR. 

Within about a year after the decease of Mr. Billiard, the 
church and town again concurred in calling a pastor. Mr. 
James Howe of JafTrey, N. EL — a graduate of Dartmouth col- 
lege, and of Andover Theo. Seminary, was the object of their 
choice. He was inducted into the pastoral and ministerial 
office Oct. 10, 1822. — Mr. Howe's ministry was an eventful 
one; a trying and a joyful one. As to its peculiar trials, we 
have no disposition to bring them under review on this occa- 
sion. They have had their place, and produced their effects 
in the great moral drama upon which God looks with so in- 
tent an eye. As to its joys, their antitype is now his in heaven. 
He is most worthily embalmed in the memories and af- 
fections of this people; his record too is there, as well as on 
high. They have, likewise, his character happily portrayed 
and published in his funeral sermon, preached by the Rev. G. 
Fisher, so that it is enough, only to give the leading facts and 
results of his ministry. 

It has already been intimated, that Mr. Howe was settled 
'over the whole town. His connection continued undisturbed, 
till May 11, 1S31, when the following vote was carried in the 
town by a small majority. " Voted to excuse Rev. Janus 
Howe from preaching six sabbaths in the course of the ensuing 
yon-, and permit the pulpit to be supplied an those sabbaths by 
ministers of other denominations"* This is the town record 
of the vote. — Their pastor thus excluded from his pulpit, the 
church, together with all its officers, which then numbered 
some two hundred members, sixty of whom were males, soon 
withdrew from the town, considered as a parish to aid in sup- 

porting the gospeL The following stands upon the church 

Eli :ords, Vol 11., under the date of .Ian. 26, \^'.vi. " Whereas 

the Town, or First Parish, have, by various measures, mani- 






36 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

fested their hostility to that system of faith to which this 
church has adhered from its formation, and does now regard 
as the c faith once delivered to the saints,' and whereas our 
Pastor, the Rev. James Howe, is about to dissolve his ministe- 
rial relation to said Parish, and no prospect remains of our be- 
ing permitted longer to hear this faith preached in the Public 
Meeting-House of the Town ; therefore, voted, that this church 
cease to worship in the Public Meeting-House in this Town, 
after next sabbath. " # Only one male, and three or four fe- 
males lingered behind. A large majority of the " church-go- 
ing people " followed the pastor. These transactions led to 
the formation of the " Evangelical Congregational Society," 
to which the church at once allied itself for mutual aid in sup- 
porting the gospel ministry, and of which Mr. Howe was pub- 
licly recognized as the minister, by a council mutually called 
Feb. 1, 1832. They also led to the erection of this house of 
worship, which was solemnly dedicated, Oct. 31, 1832, to the 
One only living and true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

The Spirit of God was remarkably poured out upon this 
church and people during Mr. Howe's ministry. There seem 
to have been as many as three or four different effusions of the 
Spirit from the year '26 to '36, though it appears somewhat 
like one continued revival with occasionally renewed divine 
impulses. During these ten years, there were admitted to the 
church, three hundred and seventeen persons. Mr. Howe, 
admitted in all four hundred and nineteen persons to the 
church ; administered three hundred and ninety-three bap- 
tisms, more than half adults; solemnized one hundred and 
fifty-four marriages, and rendered assistance in forty- three 
councils. 

His connection with his church was ever harmonious and 
happy. In 1837 and '8, having been laborious in his master's 
service, probably too much so for his strength, for about fif- 
teen years, the disease, which finally terminated his eventful 

* See Note B. App. 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 37 

and useful life, began to steal upon him. He preached, bow- 
ever, more or less, as his health would permit, until the spring 
of '39, when he requested his people to relieve him from the 
care of the pulpit, which they with sorrow consented to do. 
He received a colleague Jan. 29, IS 10, and died in ollice July 
19, 1S40. Like the first pastor of the church, he departed to 
his heavenly rest on the Lord's Day. He died tranquil and 
happy in the same faith, which he had loved to commend to 
his people, as the best support in death. He left a widow and 
five youthful children, three sons and two daughters, in deep 
grief at his early death, and their irreparable loss. Widow 
Harriet, relict of Rev. James Howe, and four of the children 
still survive, the youngest son having died in nine months af- 
ter his father. (For the subordinate officers of the church see 
note I. App.) 

There was a limited revival of religion under the preaching 
of Rev. C. Sherman, assistant supply in the spring of '39, and 
there has occurred one more general, since the settlement of 
the present pastor. The list of church members now stands 
about three hundred and ninety. With eighty-six, admitted 
since the present pastor was ordained, there have been con- 
nected with tliis church, in these hundred years, eight hun- 
dred and fifty-seven souls. " What hath God wrought ! " 
He can make " a Utile one a lliousand, and a small one a strong 
nation." 

In closing tins discourse, the following thoughts arc present- 
ed, suggested by studying the history of this church. 

/// Us ecclesiastical polity, this church has always harmonized 
with thi genius of our free institutions and with the spirit oj 
//// Bible, h has been self-governed! There never has been 
any holy despotism over it, less divine and authoritative, than 
the Bible. It has had bishops^ but only iri the scripture sense, — 
■ \ut as being lords over God's heritage, but as ensamples to 
the flock,— to feed tin- *•! i m r«l 1 of ( ted, which he hath purchased 



38 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

with his own blood." " Primus inter pares," has always 
been their maxim. The church, at its origin, adopted the lead- 
ing principles of government and discipline, contained in the 
" Cambridge Platform," that New England palladium of 
church rights. It has stood one hundred years upon this ba- 
sis, and found it firm, and finds yet no good reason to exchange 
for one, that gives more power to man, while it takes it from 
God. It has always been able to take care of itself and main- 
tain gospel order, even without the aid of a council. It has 
aided in one hundred and six councils, and been happy to re- 
ceive, as a recompense, the aid of only five. The power and 
adaptation of this system has been thoroughly tested by try- 
ing cases of discipline. In the years 1794 and 5, when some 
of its principles were brought into debate, and some of the 
brethren, for a long time, " withdrew from public worship and 
church fellowship," it was — " Voted, nem. con. to restore 
and settle peace among us, that the church agree to govern 
themselves in matters of order and discipline by the Cambridge 
Platform, with the following exceptions." These exceptions 
related to the " power of the magistrate to punish idolatry" 
and the like. May the descendants always be as wise and 
successful, as were the early fathers in church government and 
discipline. 

Again, this church, and the people sympathizing with it, 
have, from the first, sought a ministry, that would faithfully 
expound Puritan theology. They have done this, because 
they have believed it to be originally taught by God. The 
ministry, which a people seek and cheerfully support, is an 
exponent of their own religious faith and sentiments. The 
whole town concurred with the church in supporting such a 
ministry for more than three quarters of the past century, and 
when at last it signified a different wish, and virtually struck 
off the church and its pastor, a new parish, of similar views 
with the church, was formed, and has- continued to act in har- 
mony with the church in maintaining such a ministry. 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 39 

This church and people have ever sought and sustained a 
ministry, that would unequivocally teach men their entire sin- 
fulness and unfitness for heaven without a spiritual change of 
their desires and affections ; the hopeless condition of man 
without an Almighty and atoning Saviour; the love of God, 
the Father, in sending his co-eternal Son into the world, to 
taste death for every man ; the condescension and love of the 
Son. in being ' ; made flesh to dwell among us, and to sulfer 
for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God ;" 
the love of the Holy Spirit, in making effectual, upon the 
hearts of all truly penitent and believing ones, Christ's great 
work of redemption, and after they have experienced " the re- 
newing of the Holy Spirit, " in enlightening, sanctifying and 
comforting the people of God. 

That the pastors have taught, and the people, generally, as 
cordially received these and their related truths, no candid man 
can doubt, who is at all familiar with the history of this church 
and people, its sainted pastors, and with the sacred formularies 
the church has put on record. * It may be true, that this 
church never ascended to /Ty/ver-Calvinism ; neither has it ev- 
er descended to jSfao-Arminianism. New England theology has 
been its meat and its drink, upon which it has grown to its 
present stature and strength. May it ever continue to thrive 
upon tli is bread from heaven. 

Further, this church and people have ever maintained the 
primitive principle of permanency in the sacred relations of 
pastor and people. The modern rotating principle never has 
been introduced among this people. Of their own free will, 
th^y have taken measures to prevent it. They have ever 
made their own conditions for the settlement of their ministers 

and it is eminently to their praise, thai they have ever pro- 
ceeded upon the primitive principle of Congregationalism^ in 
ling their pastors for Hfi or during their ability tod 



J. App 



40 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

charge the duties of their office. In the settlement of the third 
and fourth pastors, at least, they have made grateful provision 
for a limited period of sickness; and lest they themselves 
might not prove just and impartial judges of their minister's 
ability at any time, to discharge the functions of his office, 
they have made provision for an unprejudiced reference from 
abroad. The " six month's notice" — that entering wedge to 
trouble and schism — they have wisely kept far from them and 
thus avoided an incalculable train of evils. 

This church never has had occasion to call a council, except 
to settle a pastor, or to recognize one as the minister of a new 
parish, he being already pastor of the church ; never to settle 
difficulties, nor dismiss a minister. All the previous pastors 
of this church have died in office among their "own people," 
who received their " first love," and their sacred dust sleeps 
in the common receptacle of their people's dead, awaiting that 
voice, which shall reanimate the whole. Who can repress the 
reflection, — "happy is the people, that is in such a case" when 
so many churches have been kept in a ferment, or convulsed 
and rent by the opposite course. All experience in the church- 
es of our order is found to be in favor of the very principle 
upon which this church and people have ever acted. May 
they scrupulously guard against innovation here ; may they 
never find good -cause to abandon so conservative and salutary 
a principle, and one, we doubt not, which has done so much, 
to prevent the multiplication of sects in the town. 

Finally, this church has ever given pleasing evidence to 
good men, that it was a branch of the Lord 's planting. This 
evidence must always consist in the superior virtues of a re- 
ligious life, and in the " good fruits " of such a life. This vine 
has borne these rich clusters, not in every period alike rich and 
beautiful, it may be; and where is the natural vine, that does'? 
If the vine has its seasons, of showing its nature and fecundity, 
you do not condemn and consign it to the flames. Let us 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 41 

judge thus justly of what grows in the Lord's vineyard. 
Planted in so poor a soil as is the christian church, though its 
11 Husbandman" be divine, we are not to expect every germ 
will grow up to mature life, that every blossom will turn to 
11 good fruit." Looking with such charitable allowances upon 
this church, that has passed through every vicissitude of a cen- 
tury to its present strength, the pious heart exclaims, ,: What 
hath God wrought! 11 

The good man, whose candor and spiritual judgment qual- 
ify him for the office, can discover happy proofs, that God has 
dwelt and walked with this church, in very many of its as- 
pects ; — in its early spirit of reliance upon divine aid, and in 
its delightful spirit of fraternal sympathy, union and love; in 
its sound faith and steady growth ; in its pacific spirit and 
gospel order, — never has it been torn by internal dissensions ; — 
in its steady support of gospel ordinances ; in its sustaining 
life through a long night, when ihe light of so many of the 
Puritan churches became extinct : in the glorious refreshings, 
that have followed since the year 1S27, which have resulted 
in the hopeful conversion of between four and five hundred 
souls. Some of these revivings were granted in most trying 
times; one, when this church and people were without a sanc- 
tuary, and one, when the pastor — Rev. Mr. Howe, — was laid 
aside, by dangerous sickness, in another place. We trust too, 
that it has not been, "as salt having lost its savor," in the 
community where God planted it. but has shed a healthful and 
saving influence upon society. As another evidence, that its 
spiritual Head has poured his grace upon it, it has shown, that 

it fell itself •■ a debtor to tht world," in the great cause of < • ! 1 r i s t - 
ian benevolence, having contributed, for the last seventeen 
irly average of $526, 16, in all $8,949,80. Al 
I in this cause never abate, but greatly incre 
Another evidence, that God's blessing is in this church, « 
in tie' fact thai his Spirit has so generally sustained his people 
in the trying hour of death, when human hopes are wont to 
fail. In many instances, the present pastor has admired the 



42 CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 

power of Divine Grace, to sustain the soul of the christian in 
the last conflict. It has been the most delightful part of his 
labors to serve at the bedside, and see that, " precious in the 
sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." 

Such is the evidence, speaking from the history of this 
church, in behalf of its humble claim to a resting-place upon 
the "Sure Foundation;" — such the proofs of its having, from 
the first, there abode firm and unshaken. One hundred years 
ago, a little band undertook the glorious enterprise of laying 
the foundations for many generations in this, then, pathless 
wilderness. Were they not well chosen 7 Have they ever 
been removed ? Let good 'men judge. 

Brethren and Sisters of this church and members of this 
congregation, descendants of those, who, *a century since, be- 
gan to build a living, spiritual temple in these wilds, as an 
habitation for our God through the Spirit ; behold, with admir- 
ing gratitude, the works of the Lord, and the wonders he hath 
wrought ! Contrast the far past and the present. What a 
change since your fathers, " with their staff," passed over yon- 
der Jordan. The lurking savage was here then. The memo- 
ry of their garrisoned houses, and unwelcome defence, while 
worshiping God in that humble sanctuary, tells their hard- 
ships and their dangers. But the wilderness has become a 
fruitful field. Angels look down on dwellings of comfort, 
neatness and peace, where the fathers and the mothers prayed 
with but a poor defence from the piercing blasts of those ear- 
ly winters. The more stately and commodious temple of God 
now encloses the children of a distant generation, if not upon 
the identical spot, where the fathers worshiped, and led their 
children to the altar, yet upon the very spot, where some of 
them prayed, and taught their children, " the beginning of 
wisdom." On every hand, we see the fruits of their sacri- 
fices. 

While they sowed what you, entering into their labors, 
are permitted to reap, what is your duty? Gratefully cherish 
their memories, cultivate their virtues, imitate their examples 



CENTENNIAL DISCOURSE. 43 

of piety and self-sacrifice; defend their good names, and their 
well authenticated faith, which you inherit in the right line of 
descent, born, as we would hope many of you are, not sim- 
ply of their blood, but of the will of their God. Rest, there- 
fore, upon the same Foundation, having the Same Corner- 
stone, — the only hope for the church and the world. Lead 
your children there, that they too may find a sure and an eter- 
nal resting-place. May the young among us look upon the 
past and learn ; may they see, and appreciate the inheritance 
just descending to them ; may they heed their responsibility, 
look to Christ, and receive from him the needful qualifications, 
'to transmit the invaluable legacy. 

A century of the experience, the joys, the sorrows and the 
trials of this church are passed ; its conflicts are over, its 
rophies of grace are sealed. We rejoice to believe, that in all 
their works and the results of the same, the fathers of this 
church are honored. May you their descendants, and your 
children after you, so hold and use the sacred deposit of faith 
and of privileges left you, that when your posterity shall cele- 
brate the next centennial of this church, your faith and your 
works may be found unto praise. 

Brethren and friends, who are the guests of this church at 
the table of the Lord to-day, wo welcome you to a participa- 
tion in our holy joys. * We greet you on this occasion with 
something more than the common feeling of spiritual kindred ; 
we recognize in you the lineal descendants, by a spiritual 
genealogy, of those, who a hundred years ago, bid their breth- 
ren, the fathers of this church, go in peace with their blessing. 
of the most delightful reminiscences of this occasion, 
that there was no strife between Abraham and Lot <>n that 
day. If there was any. it was only among their 'Ji ninl men.'' fVC/CJC 
There is not a trace on history, n >r a lisp from tradition, that 

there was any variance on the Bubjecl of forming a new tribe 
on this •• Bide of the flood." A\ hen the little colony would 



'.. A pp. 



44 APPENDIX. 

out in the name of their God, to adventure the new enterprise, 
the elders said; " Go in peace, my son, and the Lord be with 
thee." 

You see the issue. We invite you to join in our holy gratu- 
lations, and with us render united praise to God. You repre- 
sent the fathers ; you have with us inherited the common 
faith ; you have a place upon the Sure and Only Foundation, 
there abide forever. Now may these sisters, who dwell so 
near together, dwell ever in love. Let both cherish and de- 
fend their common Faith. Deposit this faith in the hearts of 
your children, through them send it to theirs, and thus on, 
till the last generation of the spiritual seed, standing upon 
these beautiful hills and valleys shall behold, The Glorious 

APPEARING OF THE GREAT GoD OUR SAVIOUR, AND IN A MOMENT, IN 
THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, SHALL BE CHANGED, AND WITH THE AWAK- 
ENED Fathers, be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord 
m the air, so may we all be ever with the Lord. 



APPENDIX 



NOTE A. 

Those duly authorized, to arrange for the centennial, in fixing upon the day, 
chose to take the calendar months, as they have been made to stand in the 
business world by the proper civil authorities, during one hundred years 
past ; that is, to fix the day at the end of one hundred civil years^ In doing 
this they were not without a precedent, and it brought two interesting anniver- 
saries together, the founding of the church, and the settlement of the present 
•pastor. This appeared to them to be a good and sufficient reason, why they 
might make the above arrangement. In this way they were also relieved 
from an embarrassment into which they would have found themselves thrown 
by adopting the only other alternative, that of having the celebration just at 
the expiration of one hundred solar years. They have been publicly and re- 
peatedly charged with having made v. fatal mistake, because they did not adopt 
this latter course. About this they feel no concern. They chose their day, 
and if they made a mistake, they made it on purpose. But suppose they had 
adopted this other alternative of marking off just one hundred solar years, in 
order to get the true time of the centennial; they would have found this true 



APPENDIX. 45 

time at the dead of night, between the light of February ninth and tenth. At 
the time the English Parliament adopted the X. S. the real difference between 
O. S. and X. S. was eleven days and nearly one half. The difference was zy 

just eleven davs at the beginning of the eighteenth century. The 0. S.#w»e^Vv*^t^' 
ahead of the N. S. one day in 123 years, so that in 175:2 marly one other half day 
_ "dned, and the real difference was as already stated. Those who under- 
stand the subject of style, know how this increase is dropped out of the X. S. 
and the style co%ected by a settled rule at fixed periods. But in order to get 
a definite period of solar or true time, when the limits, or the dates, fall into 
these two different styles, the real difference of the styles at the first date 
must be known, and this difference must be added to Um V S Thus, to 
mark off just 100 years of true time from January 29, 1717 0. S. the exact 
difference between the styles then must be known, and added to January 
89, 1847. It will be found, that this would bring the termination, at tin dead 
of night) between February 9th and 10th, and if just one hundred years of 
tru> time must expire, before a centennial can be true and valid, then there 
has been no centennial in the place, and the christian fathers have not been 
honored. But as this was not the doctrine of the Committee of Arrangements, 
they find themselves happily relieved from this uncomfortable embarrassment 
by their rule of calculation. 

NOTE B. 

Exception has been taken to the name, as exclusive, by which the church 
agnated in thisdiscour.se. For this the Author is not responsible. II' 
finds it upon the church records, (See ( h. Records, 
Vol. II. Title.) None but the church itself can change its name. It « 
that for one hundred years, this church has seen no good reason to do this, 
as no other name, during all this period is found upon its records. As in tin 
process of time, anv new order developes itself, whether in connection with 
an old or a new Parish, it is at liberty to distinguish itself by whatever epithets 
it ph 

But by adhering to its original name, we do not understand the church, in 
' and other changes, that have taken place, to claim any thing fur- 
ther than its original faith, and spiritual privileges and descent. It makes no 
ambitious claims to rank in the place, in the eye of the law, 01 now construed , 
or to be a legal church. Tins kind of priority and legality, it knows it lost 
by tie hering to tin original faith ; — by remaining in the line ot 

spiritual descent ; — by disclaiming the domination of the popular will, and by 
•uld enjoy its original faith and spiritual privileges antnunmeled. 
al church in thi "Judicial Legislation" of 1820, is on . 

which remains, no matter whether majority or minority, or one newly formed, 
rn, or with th existing parish. Otherwise, it has no 
rinl r: corporated by a special act of the Legislati I bief 

luetic in behalf of the Supreme < Jourt of Mass. in the decision of the 

•• /' ," — (< churches, as such, hare no power but of divine 

ip, church order and disciplin< " I as c i not 

g to them any Cttfti rights or DTlTllegeS.' 1 — u A church Cannot 

community to which it is attached." i>> u relig- 

community" be means, Parish. Now who, till I- conceiTed 

christian church is the creature of b Parish, — thai it can 

nehhi r continue, independent of a pari b! Beaxthi . Judi- 

: irther — for tie )] UOtuti lair upon which the DedhaOQ 

i. — "• If a church may M[ onected with an\ OOOgrO- 

gation or religious society, it is certain, that it has no legal qualities, that it can- 



46 APPENDIX. 

not control property — " &c. " The secession of the whole church from the 
Parish would be an extinction of the church ; it is competent to the members of 
the Parish, to institute a new church, or to engraft one upon the old stock, 
should any remain; and this church would succeed to all the rights of the old, 
in relation to the Parish. The only circumstance, which gives a church any 
legal character, is its connection with some regularly constituted society. Those, 
who withdraw from the society, cease to be members of that particular church" 
&c. Is not this a new method of excommunication, unheard of by Jesus 
Christ and his apostles, or by any body of christian men, till the embodied 
wisdom of the " liberal" court in this State so declared, October, 1820. For 
this decision and these extracts, see Mass. Term Reports, Vol. xvi. p. 488, 
and onward. A Lawyer, reviewing this case in 1829, says; — " This strange 
and unexpected decision, which has shocked the plain sense of good men, 
wherever it has been known, has never been well received or acquiesced in, 
by the bar, or by intelligent Lawyers of the Commonwealth." He says fur- 
ther, " we regard this decision and its doctrine, as mere assumption, or Judi- 
cial Legislation" He informs us what he means by this, by showing, that 
the decision was unsupported by any statute law, — that it was built mainly 
upon a construction of the 3rd Art. of the constitution, adopted in 1780, which 
plainly never was intended to rob the churches of their long enjoyed rights. 
Now in view of this, what is a church in a civil sense, or in other words, a 
legal churchl It is a creature of the Town, or the Parish, perfectly subser- 
vient to the popular will. Like the chamelion, it must take its hue from that 
to which it is attached, and without which, says the learned court, it cannot 
exist. How grateful to the true churches of Christ, that such was not his de- 
cision, nor that of his apostles. A church that would become thus subser- 
vient, and take its faith from the present phase of society, or expression of the 
popular will, in the estimation of all good and christian men, would be un- 
worthy the name. What ! shall a church turn weather-vane to the popular 
will for the sake of" civil rights and privileges," and " control over property?" 
Would not God then disown it? Says a Lawyer, with respect to the results 
of the above decision, "Literally the churches are ' speckled birds ' among 
us; — they are like so many ciphers, in arithmetic, which count well at the 
right, but nothing at the left. If they will worship in such a Meeting-House, 
and under such a Minister, as the Parish shall provide for them, they are, nu- 
merically, something: if they choose to provide a Minister and a Meeting- 
House on the opposite side of the way, they are, numerically, nothing. We 
do not believe our fellow citizens are prepared to acknowledge this new logic 
to be genuine ; for law it is not. It is a kind of chap-logic, by which the whole 
binding force of the Statute is done away." Surely under such circumstances 
this church has no ambitious claims for rank or legality to present. It 
yielded them, when it deliberately chose its ancient faith and spiritual inherit- 
ance, rather than " civil rights" and " control over property." These latter, 
they decided, in 1831, to yield up, rather than the " faith once delivered to 
the saints." 

NOTE C. 

The design of these historical notices extends no farther, than the history 
of religion in the place is concerned, and that, no farther than is connected 
with the original church. Every thing beyond is left, lest we should inter- 
fere with the appropriate province of others, or with a Town celebration, if the 
true time, for a Town centennial can be fixed upon. The author has the fol- 
lowing facts from C. Butler, Esq., of Groton. Pepperell became a Precinct, 



APPENDIX. 47 

June 26, 174S, a District. April 12, 1733, and he finds no evidence, that it 
became a Town, till the creneral Act of the Legislature, in 1766, making all 
the then Districts in t. 

T E D . 

It is not certain, whether these dates are made in the Gregorian, or Julian 
. In the latter, the year commenced oo the 25tb of March. If these 
- were entered in tins laiter style, then the first Parish , | the 

first i . occurred in 1713, X. S., as th< 

had then begua. liut as they stand as si _ . (and not thus. L742 

not to be understood) the inference is. that they are 

to be understood in the Gregorian, or N. S. The organization of the church, 

falling between Jan . I March 25th, is indicated on the record in huth 

far as the beginning of the year was concerned, thus, Jan. 29th, 

" the year '46 being 0. S. and '47 being N. S. 

NOTE E. 

Rev. Mr. Emerson who was a native of Maiden, Mass., — the son of Rev. 
Jose; i, minister of thai it 25th, 1724, 0. 8 

graduated at H . . \. D. 17 1.:. At his ordination in P. Rev. Dan. 

Emerson, his brother-in-law, of llollis, offered the first prayer, his father pn 
ed from 9 Tim., 9 : 1. R rrowbridge, ot < ire the ch 

and Rev. Phineas Heme V iwnsend, nave the right hand 

ship. When the precinct invited him to settle in the ministry, they voted to 
give him " CIS ind £62 1"-. salary, 

fire v\ 1, cut and delivered at his d< 

T -ired him " 1" acres of land within half a mile 

of th and Toted to increase his- £12 LOb., when 

the P ild number 100 rateable families, " which was done in I" 

•I opon the prices of certain articl< - 
provisions, which rendered it rery variable, ai much per- 

I. much to his relief and satisfaction. 



NOTE F. 

The decision to ei " 7, nd for two 

• >uld. The dimensions w m b : 

with • -epic, but failed. [1 

- 1770. Mr. E. preached from 1 Sain. 7 I -J. 

In tt ; commi mi 

with him and US people. 



NOTE (-. 

At the ordinat: Mr. B., Rar, l»r. Chaplin, , offered the 

fir.it prayer. Rev. I)r. P Medfield preached from 9 Tim. 9 16. 

:a\cr and ive i ho 
»f Shirley, gave the nght hand, and Rev. Mr. 
1'arrar swich, cl" tli prayer. 



48 APPENDIX. 

NOTE H. 

When this movement was made, it was attempted to justify it by charging 
Mr. H. with breaking a solemn promise, made before his ordaining council, 
that he would exchange with Clergymen of " liberal sentiments." As this 
charge has recently been reiterated in public, the publishing committee have 
requested the insertion of the following testimony, to refute the above calumny. 
The Rev. Messrs. Fisher and Farnsworth of Harvard and Boxboro, who were 
both on that council, say that, when something was said in the council on the 
subject of exchanges — a minority of the people opposing his settlement be- 
cause he was not liberal enough — ' Mr. H. signified his ivillingness, to exchange 
with the Clergy of the ordaining council, so far as he knew them; but being a 
stranger in this vicinity, he declined committing himself.' This agrees sub- 
stantially with Mr. H's own account of the matter to his colleague about the 
time of the settlement of the latter. Rev. Mr. Bennett, of Woburn, also on the 
Council, recollects no such promise. Mr. H. did exchange with the members 
of his Council, so long as he thought proper, and thus fulfilled his liberal 
intentions. Rev. Humphrey Moore, of Milford, also on the council, says, 
" It is my opinion, based on what recollection I have, that he expressed wil- 
lingness, to exchange with ministers in that region, whose characters were 
good, and who were in regular standing. By this I did not understand, that he 
promised to exchange with Unitarians. If afterwards, for reasons existing in his 
own mind, he refused to exchange with Unitarians, it is my opinion, that he did 
not violate truth, or good faith." No other living members of the Council have 
been inquired of, but there are others, who might be, and who would doubtless 
corroborate the above. But the testimony of four credible witnesses must be 
true, and therefore this illiberal complaint is seen to be groundless. 

NOTE I. 

The following is a list of the Deacons of the Church, with the dates of their 
induction into office. Those marked with the asterisk are now living. 

Jeremiah Lawrence, > T T1 17AW Edmund Parker, Oct. 8, 1773. 

John Spofford, S "' 1/40 * Nath'l Hutchinson, > . ., oq 17aQ 

Peleg Lawrence, Aug. 23, 1754. Nath'l Lakin, £ A P nl ^ d ' 17by " 

Josiah Fiske, Oct. 4, 1754. Jonas Parker,* ) A 1?; 1Qn _ 

Thomas Lawton, Aug. 3, 1759. Edm'd Jewett, $ Aug ' 15 ' iyU5 ' 

David Blood, April 9, 1752. David Blood,* > n gQ lftqo 

Daniel Fiske, April 23, 1773. Ne'h. Cutter,* £ uctl ^ y ' 10 ^' 
Henry Jewett,* January 4, 1844. 

NOTE J. 

The original covenant has Luther's great doctrine of the Reformation, in the 
following words, a doctrine, which distinguishes, as much as any other, all 
evangelical denominations from others ; — " acknowledging him our alone Sav- 
iour, — accordingly we wholly disclaim our own Righteousness, in point of Jus- 
tification, cleaving to Him for Righteousness, Grace, Life and Glory." If 
this is not distinctive Orthodoxy, what is ? 

NOTE K. 

The Union Church in Groton, with its Pastor, Rev. Dudley Phelps, was 
present by invitation, on account of the original relation, which subsisted 
between the churches in Groton and Pepperell, the one having been formed 
from the other. 



